He knew she hadn’t even noticed him yet. He could see from this far away that her eyes were scrunched closed tightly. He bent down and undid the laces on the boots he wore.
He glanced up and down the path, making sure there would be no witnesses, no one except him and the beauty that sat before him. She would make the most stunning Angel he’d ever had. He knew this with utmost certainty.
It didn’t even matter if she had someone had home who would notice she’d gone. She was his Angel. And he was going to have her.
He pulled his cap further down his face, obscuring his features, and strode down the path towards her. As he approached the bench, he stumbled as if tripping over his loose laces.
She opened her eyes, staring at him warily.
‘Bloody shoe laces. Darn things just won’t stay fastened,’ he said with a smile, putting his boot on the bench beside her and quickly fastening his lace. ‘Awful weather, isn’t it,’ he said, making polite conversation to put her at ease.
‘Cold,’ she replied with a nod. Her lips had a blue tinge to them – she was colder than she’d care to admit to a stranger, he knew.
He pulled one of his heavy gloves off and put his hand in his pocket, withdrawing both the syringe and his wallet in one movement.
She eyed him, as he opened the wallet and withdrew a £20 note, handing it to her with his other hand.
As she reached to take it, a grateful smile on her face, he plunged the syringe through her trousers and into her leg. Her eyes widened, and she pulled her hand back as though burnt by fire. She pushed him and stood, intending to run, but the drugs were fast-acting, and she stumbled heavily into him.
He took her weight, hooking an arm around her waist and pulling her to him. Anyone seeing them now would presume she was drunk, and he was helping her.
Which he was – he’d take her away from this lonely life and make her the best Angel he’d ever had.
He was buzzing, untouchable. Who’d have thought a quick visit to the park would be so productive. He reached his car in record time and positioned her in the passenger seat, clicking her seatbelt into place.
* * *
14th December, 1940 hours – abandoned school near Durham
Sally felt consciousness clawing at her mind. She was in danger. She knew it with every fibre of her being. Her skin prickled instinctively with goosebumps, and she tried to open her eyes. What had happened? Slowly, she remembered being in the park. And a man, whose shoe laces were undone. That was it. After that her mind was blank. Had she passed out?
Forcing her eyes open was hard work – it took a lot of energy. Energy she didn’t have. She was cold to the bone, and her body shivered hard. Her teeth started chattering, rattling in her skull loudly.
A dim glint of light pushed through the slits in her eyelids.
Pushing herself, she opened them wider.
She was in a room.
How? Where am I? What happened?
‘You’re awake.’ The man’s voice boomed round the room, bouncing off the walls. Far louder than it should have been. It made her jump, and she hustled her back towards the nearest wall. Was he in here with her? Who is he?
Her question went unanswered.
‘Eat the sandwich and drink the water. Sleep. I’ll be back soon and will explain the rules of the game.’
Game? What the hell is he on about? I want to go home. I need to see my son!
‘Who are you?’ she shouted, her own voice now echoing off the high walls in the room.
‘Rule number one, don’t ask questions. I’ll speak to you later.’
Sally heard the microphone click off, and the room fell silent. The dim glow in the room came from the camera mounted high on the ceiling. It gave her just enough light that she could see the sandwich on the floor.
It’ll be poisoned. Don’t eat or drink. It’s like the bottle in Alice in Wonderland.
Alice in Wonderland had been her son’s favourite book. She’d read it to him more times than she remembered when he was young. He’d loved it and always screamed out to Alice not to drink the bottle to make herself small enough to fit through the door. His young mind already comprehended that going through that door was bad for Alice.
‘Oh, my beautiful Danial, when will I see you again?’ She whispered the words and thinking of his smiling face brought tears to her eyes. Her heart had broken the day her ex had taken him, and it wouldn’t be fixed until she got him back. Almost two years without him. It was like a lifetime. He’d have grown so big now. He’d been two when Farooq had taken him from her. Fleeing back to Egypt with the one shining light in her life. Would Danial even remember her now? She didn’t know, but she knew her son was a damn good reason to stay alive.
If he wanted to poison you, he would have just killed you already. He said there’s a game. That means he wants you alive enough to play. So eat. You need your strength, if you’re going to get through this.
Her mind gave her a million other scenarios but she knew it was right. If she wanted to live, which she did, she’d do as he said. So, Sally picked the sandwich up and ate it slowly. It wasn’t the best sandwich in the world, but it tasted good to her. She drank the water down, too, and, in no time, felt sleepy. Her mind barely registered that the food had been drugged, and she curled up in a ball, snuggling deeper into her coat, and ignored her chattering teeth. Before she knew anything else, she was deep in slumber.
11
15th December, 1330 hours –Marriott Hotel, Sunderland
TJ had arrived at the hotel for the CSI afternoon tea well in advance of the meeting time of 2.30pm. She’d been to the Marriott before and loved to wander across the beach opposite, taking some time to just think. The air was crisp and cold as she made her way down the short steps to the sand. The sky was blue, and there was hardly a cloud in sight. Salt hung heavy in the air, and the waves were whooshing at the sea line. It was comforting.
The beach was always somewhere TJ headed to think – she loved water. There was a river cutting through the land the stables stood on, but it wasn’t the ocean. There was something about crashing waves that gave her peace and calmed her mind.
She took a few deep breaths, finding a good-sized rock to sit on.
‘Hey,’ said a voice behind her. Turning, she saw Jackson standing with a smile, his hands shoved deep into the pockets of the heavy winter coat he wore.
Scooting over on the rock, she made room and motioned for him to sit down. ‘You’re early,’ she said, giving him a smile.
‘Day off today. Thought a walk on the beach might be nice.’
‘Ditto, I love the beach.’
‘Fancy an ice cream?’
‘Nowhere will be open – it’s winter.’
‘I know just the place. Come on.’ He stood and grabbed her hand, tugging her to her feet. His eyes were glinting with boyish charm, and she allowed herself to be pulled along to the next set of steps.
Just a little further along past the amusements was an ice cream shop. She hadn’t noticed it and wouldn’t have, to be fair. It was tucked away and had a plain white decorated shop front. Neat black writing said ‘Mama’s Kitchen.’
‘It doesn’t look open. You sure it is?’
Jackson just grinned at her and pushed open the door.
Inside was decorated in the style of an American ice-cream parlour. There were pictures of sundaes, waffles and other desserts on the boards above the counter. A woman smiled over to them from the till area.
‘Hi, Jackson, no uniform today?’
‘No. Well-earned day off. Can I get a Michelin Friday and a Kiddie Special, please?’
TJ quickly scanned the boards to find the ones he’d said, but they weren’t on the list. He took her hand again, and she tried to ignore the feeling of his rough palms against her smooth ones. She was starting to have all kinds of thoughts she shouldn’t be having about Jackson.
Jackson seated her in a booth and headed back to the counter to wait for the ice creams.
>
He returned minutes later with a tray, on which sat the two most amazing looking sundaes she’d ever seen. One had syrup, sweets, candy floss and three different coloured ice-creams on it. It had flakes and teddy wafers and everything – obviously the Kiddie Special. The other looked more refined – layers of different red fruits inside of white vanilla ice cream, chocolate and toffee sauces, and nuts.
‘Figured we could share them, unless there’s one you fancy more?’
‘They both look amazing. They’re not on the boards, though – how’d you know she makes them?’
‘Mama Russell has a secret menu. You have to ask for the right thing.’ He winked at her, his eyes sparkling in humour.
‘Ahh, so you’re in here often, then.’ She smiled back at him and buried her sundae spoon deep into the Kiddie Special. It came out with two flavours on as well as a jelly heart sweet.
‘Mmm, bubble-gum, and pineapple?’
Jackson nodded before doing the same.
The bell tinkled above the entry door, and someone entered, but Jackson was too busy grinning to take any notice.
‘Who the hell is this?’ Nicki’s grating voice shattered the peace and friendship instantly.
‘Are you the precious husband stealer, Teresa?’
The anger on her face put TJ instantly on guard.
‘Nicki – what the hell are you doing here? Following me?’ Jackson got to his feet and faced Nicki. TJ could see he was fit to burst.
‘Don’t need to follow you, pooky. The app on your phone tells me where you are. I just knew you were meeting with this bitch.’
TJ paled. What the hell is going on?
Jackson’s voice grew strained. ‘App? What fucking app? Nicki you’re crazy. I don’t know how many times I need to tell you that we were never together. I’m surprised my inspector hasn’t spoken to you yet. I’ve reported you, you know? You can’t keep pulling this crap. Now piss off.’
Nicki stepped around him and jabbed a finger into TJ’s chest. Without thinking, TJ grabbed the finger and twisted it hard, standing as she did so.
‘Look, lady, I don’t know who you are or what you think you’re doing, but you need to back the hell off.’
‘You broke my finger, you stupid cow,’ screeched Nicki, holding her hand to her chest. ‘You’re a witness, pooky, you saw Teresa assault me.’
‘I saw nothing. What I saw was you coming in here making your mouth go like always and admitting you’re stalking me. Now, leave this shop, Nicki. For the hundredth time, I want nothing to do with you. You’re fucking nuts.’
‘Now I know what you look like, I’m going to make you pay for stealing my man. Don’t think I won’t.’ She glared at TJ with such venom that TJ would have stepped back if she hadn’t been sitting already.
Nicki flicked her hair and left in whirl of anger.
‘Jesus, TJ, I’m so sorry. She’s absolutely crazy. We had one night together months ago, and she won’t leave me alone.’
‘How did she know my name?’ TJ spoke softly, and she knew Jackson wouldn’t have heard her if he hadn’t been so close. He paled, and she knew he’d said something to Nicki to make her believe it.
After he sighed deeply, he sat down opposite her, and spoke earnestly.
‘She came to my flat the night I saw you after the burglary. I wouldn’t have opened the door, but she kept yelling outside, and I knew one of the neighbours would ring the police. I told her to fuck off. I was desperate at that point for her to leave me alone, and I may have mentioned your name as being my girlfriend in the hope she’d back off. I didn’t think, for one second, she’d ever meet you, so it shouldn’t have been an issue. But I shouldn’t have done it.’
TJ couldn’t speak – she had her head bowed down, and her shoulders shook.
‘Aw, shit, don’t cry. I’m really bad at dealing with women who cry, please, TJ…’ His hand on her arm was her undoing, and she looked up, giggling loudly.
‘That was pretty ballsy, Docherty. Making her believe you had a girlfriend. That just makes this scenario even more bizarre! I can just imagine your face after you shut the door thinking, Oh crap, what if she finds TJ?’
Jackson looked shocked at first then relaxed. ‘She’s crazy. And I did think that! You’re sure you’re not offended? I can understand how that might look. We’re not even, you know, together.’
‘Seriously, don’t worry about it. With all I’ve got going on at the minute, a nutso stalker ex is the least of my worries. You about ready to head down to the Marriott?’
He nodded, and TJ stood, and made her way to the counter, putting a tenner in the tip jar. ‘Best ice cream ever,’ she said with a smile.
‘And best entertainment, my love. You two are always welcome here. If I see that other one again, though, I’ll be calling the police.’
TJ grabbed Jackson’s hand and left the shop, still chuckling away.
* * *
15th December, 1645 hours – abandoned school near Durham
Today was not a good day. He’d been far later getting to the school than he’d planned to be. Extra tasks being tagged onto his already long working day. Sometimes, he managed to flit off for a couple of hours around lunch time, but not today.
He smiled all the same: he had found the perfect place to dispose of the two bodies in his boot. So small mercies and all that. He’d been to see his Angels, sat talking to them for some time. And the scent of pig shit had drifted over on the wind. He still hadn’t clicked straight away, content in chatting to his precious treasures. It came to him quite suddenly, and he stopped mid-sentence.
Pigs would eat anything.
He’d read in The Guardian once that pigs had eaten their farmer owner – thus proving that pigs would eat anything served to them. The only bits left were a couple of bones and the farmer’s dentures! He’d also heard it said that pigs were clean, but he didn’t believe that for one minute, not with the scent of their shit hanging in the wind.
Okay, he’d need to cut the bodies up and dump them in the pigs’ troughs in the middle of the night, but he had no doubts they’d eat any evidence of the bodies. A chipper! That would be a good idea. He could even expense the hire of one to his employer.
He made his way into the office and rang a local supplier using his mobile phone. The one thing the school didn’t have now was active landlines. It took moments – the chipper was booked for delivery the next day – he could stay late into the evening and get everything sorted out. No more bodies, and a perfect disposal method for next time things didn’t go to plan.
Satisfied, he focussed on the screens in front of him showing the cameras.
Where is she?
Panic entered his mind – he couldn’t see her anywhere, and it was a small room. Where was she? There was no way she could have escaped.
Unless I was careless. I’m never careless, but there’s a first time for everything.
Grabbing the metal pole beside the door, he ran to the corridor and unlocked the door to the room.
She flew at him from nowhere. Completely awake and much stronger than he would have anticipated. Her fingers scratched down his face sharply, making him yell out. The metal bar dropped to the floor as she kept coming at him. He had to raise his hand to block the blows and scratches. He finally got the upper hand, though, and backhanded her hard across the face. The blow was strong, and she flew sideways, impacting the wall with a loud thud.
It was hard enough to wind her, and she slumped to the ground, gasping for breath.
‘Rule number two. Don’t go for me. It will result in bad things happening to you.’
He raised his foot and kicked her hard to the stomach, knowing it would wind her further. Grabbing her chin and raising it, he slammed his fist down into her nose. Blood burst forth, and she passed out at his feet.
Now, he knew he had the perfect one. Never before had anyone fought with such vigour. Not even the odd man he’d brought here. He’d learned a valuable lesson, though – that
women weren’t all they seemed. He’d never have thought for a moment that this slim, petite woman would have that much fight in her. He knew she was special, but she was the first one to ever land a blow. His cheeks stung where her nails had left gouges. He knew without even checking that she’d drawn blood.
That would be a tough one to explain away. Maybe he was due a few days of sick leave. A few days off would give him the time he needed to focus on this one.
Decision made, he nodded to himself. He picked up the metal pole from the floor – it wouldn’t do to leave something she could use as a weapon. The door closed behind him, and he locked it, double-checking the handle to make sure it was well and truly secure. The last thing he needed was the woman escaping and telling everyone where he was and what he’d done.
He made his way back into the office and used his phone to assess the damage to his face. Three angry welts showed on his cheek, and blood had started congealing at the bottom.
‘Ouch,’ he muttered, grabbing the small first aid tin from under the desk. He knew the TCP would sting – but it was needed. God only knew where her fingernails had been before scraping down his face. He liberally doused some cotton wool and took a deep breath before holding the cotton wool to his face. Pain exploded, and he cursed loudly but gritted his teeth and continued until every inch of each welt was coated in the antiseptic. His face felt like it was burning, and he frowned, quickly realising that every movement sent sharp rods of pain down to his neck.
This really was going to take a while to calm down.
He focussed the camera on her still form on the floor where he’d left her.
‘Rule number three, all actions done off your own back have consequences.’
He depressed the button that sounded the high-pitched alarm and smiled as she jerked awake, holding her hands over her ears. She was moving her mouth, but even if the camera had picked up sound, he wouldn’t have heard her over the alarm. Prolonging the torture for a few more seconds was easy. She was an Angel, but she would learn that she wasn’t to do that. Not to him. Not ever.
Under The Woods: a heart-stopping police thriller (The Forensic Files Book 4) Page 12